Much to do about gender-based violence

MARBELINE GOAGOSES



It is unfortunate that during my conversation with a staff member from the ministry of gender equality and child welfare, on what her take was on the current situation of gender-based violence in the country, she hopelessly shrugged her shoulders and said “what can we do?”

I was shocked and disappointed and it dawned on me then, that her exact response was a direct reflection of the current state of gender-based violence in Namibia. A perpetual cycle of abuse, with no end in sight, and a whole lot of helpless people.

Gender-based violence has been left unattended for so long that it has completely spiralled out of control, and it is just a matter of time before it will be a common and not so shocking occurrence. Once we read the news that someone has been raped, we will shrug our shoulders and say what can we do? It is, what it is, right?

Wrong! It is not what it is. We have a responsibility to ensure that this issue is addressed to its maximum capacity, seeing that it is fast growing into a national crisis, if it is not already there!

Yes, we do not live in people's homes to see what they are up to. Yes, we do not know the circumstances under which people live. And yes, we are not responsible to tell people where to go, and whom to affiliate with.

Article 8 of the Namibian Constitution deals with Respect for Human Dignity: It says there that the dignity of all persons shall be inviolable, which means never to be broken, infringed, or dishonoured. It goes on to say that: No persons shall be subject to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Instead, we have fathers raping their daughters, toddlers being raped, women being hacked to death, boys being sodomised at school, infants being violated, uncles molesting five-year-old, a woman raped after asking for a lift, strangers breaking into your home and raping you in your bed in front of your family, husbands raping wives, babies being dumped and that is all in just one week! The list is endless. The question is, how long are we going to strongly condemn, and express our extreme disappointment, and point out once again how disturbing all these acts are! How long are we going to sit down and have another meeting to see how we will deal with the situation. To see how we can approach the situation. To have another week-long conference. Will we introduce another policy perhaps? A strategy?

Gender-based violence is happening every day in our society! And if it is exposed, it is because something happened to shed light on it. That could be for example the prominence of the alleged rapist father, or students holding a peaceful protest at school. It could be in the form of a community member recording a conversation with an uncle, who has just raped or molested a child, and the child happens to be in the recording, with her private part being exposed for the world to see!

One would have to be blind if one did not notice that this situation is getting worse by the day.

In thinking of how one would maybe approach such a situation, my mind immediately goes to the Nama Awards, and the Elections in Namibia. I am always so fascinated, how during the NAMA awards, and elections, how often promotions of it, pops up everywhere!

On tv, or radio, in the newspapers. People are aware. People are talking about it. It is on social media. It is everywhere.

Yes. It takes money. But, at what point do we have to get, to dedicate a good bulk of the budget, to raise constant awareness about this issue. Why do we not push for collaborations, public private partnerships to tackle this issue heads on! It is a national issue! It is a national disaster. It is embarrassing.

When is it your child? Your sister? Your best friend? Your neighbour? You?

Awareness includes…running a scroll on NBC television, like you would the main headlines on the news, on important numbers to call during instances of GBV. Who to contact? Places to go? Short video clips on awareness raising from lawyers, doctors, psychologists, police officers. On social media. Posters in newspapers. SMS's on our phones. Advice.

Flash announcement. Public service announcements. Informational posters everywhere. Shops. Service stations. It does not have to be fancy. A piece of paper with information to could save a life or prevent a rape.

I just think that we have gotten to a point where we can no longer turn a blind eye, and crack jokes on social media, because the child, or the women, or the man, that is being raped, and killed and violated, is not our relative. It is time to stop shrugging our shoulders and act.



* Marbeline Goagoses is a former journalist and writes in her personal capacity.